convention in charlotte. here is what she said moments ago to joe madison. >> i'm going to remind people about the values that drive my husband to do what he has done and what he's going to do for the next few years. making sure, fighting hard it make sure that we get healthcare reform for example. bringing wars to an end, focusing on economic recovery on the middle class, working class folks, tax cuts for those families and for small businesses. >> the interview was taped just yesterday. the convention officially kicks off in the next three hours. in addition to the first lady's speech, a rising star within the democratic party, san antonio mayor julian castro. and both speeches will target two critical voting blocks for the president. women and latinos. let me bring in, nbc's ron alan, live from the convention in charlotte. so obviously, ron, from all of the conversations regarding the first lady, may over san

antonio, as well, we know the focus on the agenda at least today. >> indeed, tamron. the time warner arena, seats 20,000, very intimate arena. what is unusual about this convention center is that the floor where most of the delegate will be seated is very small. seven states have a place here on the convention floor. that, by the way, legacy, one of the performers who will perform tonight warming up. seating of course at the political congression is very political. this area is north caroline why, host state, but also a key battle ground state. one that the president won by a narrow margin, one that he want it keep blue this time around. >> over in this direction, delaware, illinois, president and vice president of the united states. down here on the floor, reserved for key battle ground state.

almost like a red map to how you win the election. for example, over there is nevada, that direction is iowa, virginia, colorado. so again, everything is very carefully choreographed. the podium is up there. we will hear the first lady and mayor of san antonio speak later on. dell case are starting to file in now. some 6,000 will be here. and the energy level, quite a night here when things get started in a few hours. tamron? >> thank you for the update. associated press with a first lady speech, likely not mentioning romney by name. the lilly led better fair pay act. let me bring in talk show host michael smerconish, senior writer allison samuels, author of "what would michelle do wo."

i will start off with you since you are the only one with a book about the first lady. she said they wanted to remind you of the values of her husband. this is not the same pitch ann romney was asked to do. we know the president of course, but what is her challenge today? >> i think it is to remind people how much her husband cares about everyone, how he wants everyone to enjoy that dream of economic, sort of parody, that he still has that desire it see everyone succeed. i think that's been lost the last couple months of the campaign. i think michelle gives him that face, that face of genuine kindness and compassion for your fellow man. michelle does that very well. >> ann, let me bring you in as well. you think about, especially during the campaign season, four years ago, how there was an attempt by the president's rivals, candidate obama at the time, to demonize michelle obama. she even said she felt there was an attempt to make her this

angry black woman. that does not exist any more. that character has been beat back. but here you have a person, an individual woman, who there's a lot resting on her shoulders today to talk about the values that women can find relatable, including the economy. not just certainly about women's health issues and healthcare, it is about the economy and how it impacted women. >> yes. she worked very hard over the last four years since the middle of the last campaign it figure out what they're public profile should be. how she can conduct herself in way the whole country can relate to and not to get into things that could be misinterpreted. her role tonight is easier. she has already defined it. and she's got to be talking about her husband as a person and telling their story. she is not going to be wading into some of the partisan fight as we have been discussing. she is really going to be talking about her husband and she's been doing that on the campaign trail as first lady for

quite sometime. >> how is that different, ann? we know where they had their first date. we know, again today, about his single mother, how do you modify the story again four years later after we know so much about both the first lady, their children, and the president. >> that's going to be the great clael. i would expect to hear it all in terms of context. four years ago, the economy was not the issue it is today. now, people, you and i, otheres who covered her or seen her on the campaign trail, know she talks about student loans she today pay off. not everybody does. it's been a long time since michelle obama had a big political role, being in the lime light. sure, she had the let's move, talking about the garden. and she may reiterate some things she talked to on the campaign trail, but even some thing may feel new to people. >> i want to get new regarding the president, answering a question in an interview just yesterday, regarding his grade and what would he grade his

administration or his accomplishment so far. let me play with the president said. >> your party says you interitied a bad situation. you've had three and half years to fix it. what grade would you give yourself so far for fixing it? >> what i would say is the steps we've taken in saving the auto industry and making sure that college is more affordable and investing and clean energy and science and technology and research, those are the things that well need to grow over the long-term. >> michael, what are your thought on that answer? >> i think it a pretty good answer. she brings a lot to the table. i think she has really ended up being such a great asset. she, meaning the first lady, to the president on the campaign trail. i don't know that f that's a role, tamron, that came naturally to her four years ago, but it sure appears to at this juncture. she can humanize him in a way he can't humanize himself. she can beat back things about

him, you can't change the fringe opinions but she can talk about his being a great father, great husband, great patriot and not a guy who seeks to grow the government at every turn. i think there is a political message she can deliver in addition to telling the personal side that doesn't come naturally to him. >> alon son, "time" magazine descliebed what they call the meaning of michelle. this is in september. while her husband is scrutinized and barraged and asked to account for failures and project his vision, michelle glides through the campaign one step removed, no less fierce, in her determination to win. i want it play an excerpt of her speech in 2008. let's play that. >> that's why barak's running, to end the war in iraq responsibly. to build an economy that lifts every family, to make sure health care is available for every american. and to make sure that every single child in this nation has

a world class education all the way from preschool to college. that's what barack obama will do as president of the united states of america. >> allison, what can you tell me about her fierceness, this article refers to her as a one-of-a-kind role model. i'm assuming that's why you wrote a book about her. >> michelle is so confidence in herself, in her husband and in her children and in the family she raised. she likes to talk about it. she likes it talk about, her and barak worked hard, the two of them, to provide this environment for their family and she want the country to have the same thing and she want the president to do that and she will do what she has to do to make that happen. she wasn't on board initially when he got into politics. but once she realized where he was going, she came in full throttle. she began doing everything she could to make sure she was

beside him and doing the things that needed to be done to make sure people understood who he was. i don't think that stops. tonight we're going to see a great deal of that this week. >> ann, i want to talk about the counter that republicans are offering up today, paul ryan made the rounds. he was on the today show, put on the spot to, i guess, some people would describe it as come clean. if they don't believe what he was saying and don't believe the truth that this gm plant was closed when president bush was in office. matt lauer interviewed him pressed him on the speech he gave at the rnc. >> what they are trying to suggest is that i said that barack obama was responsible for our plant shut down. that is not what i'm saying. read the speech. what i'm saying is the president ought to be held to account for his broken promises. after the plant was shut down, he said he would lead effort to get the plant up and people back it work. lots of people i grew up with who lost their jobs there still don't have jobs there.

>> is congressman ryan trying to revive that speech. he says go back and read it. we all have. >> well, revise it or no, he is still casing a lot of questions about it. i think he is facing questions now about his level of candor when he gave the speech and in other interviews since then and before then. >> rightfully so. this is not a picking o on paul ryan. these are comments that -- this is a speech he gave on a national stage. >> absolutely. it a little surprising the campai wouldn't have expected these kinds of questions. even though there are republicanes who have come out and defended it since then. the fact is it wasn't that he blamed president obama for the closing of the plant. he dodged the question there a little bit. what he really said and implied in the speech is this it closed on president's obama's watch, the gm portion aclosed on president obama's which, which is not the case. so he is trying to go back and defend the speech while at the same time justify it and it hut pim put him in a tricky spot.

>> with ryan trying to revise the speech, or i wouldn't know how to describe it, he could come on and and describe it and that would be nice. andrea mitchell brought up the line, are you better off four years late now. and it is ridiculous, her words, trying to convince people that their lives are better now. >> i think that question sb since 1980, has been the every four years you have to answer it. i was a little surprised that the obama campaign spokespeople and i'm thinking of david plouffe and a few others, and the president having his game face on and giving a response. i've been asking kwet all afternoon and i think it is a very important question and they need a better answer to it. >> an article, most important gop myths, that president needs to fight.

one of the myths he says the president has to take on and perhaps even the first lady in her speech today, is that obama is a nice kid in over his head smacking this down may be the most important challenge of all of them, he says today, michael. do you believe that? >> i think the president needs to tell us where he's going in this climate of incyvillity. that the challenge. there is still john boehner's opposition even if president obama is re-elected november 6. how is he going to deal with that? that's what i think he needs to answer. >> the first lady will have to help him in that answer as well. in her big speech tonight. thank you allison. thank you ann and michael as well. great pleasure. and while the convention in charlotte is about to get under way, president obama is in virginia. the president just wrapping up a campaign at norfolk state university. the president is expected to watch the first lady's speech from the white house. watch it live like the rest of us on television. up next, congressman chris

van holen, one of the strongest voices in the democratic party. today we will get his reaction on what his party needs to do and even paul ryan's latest interviews attempting to defend the speech he gave during his party convention. the first lady saying she is fired up and ready to win. democrat can prove there is enthue enthusiasm coming out of the convention but can it last to november? join the conversation on my twitter page. it's @tam tamron hall.

[ "human" by the humanresponsibility.amron h- what's your policy? for their "destination wedding." double miles you can "actually" use. but with those single mile travel cards... [ bridesmaid ] blacked out... but i'm a bridesmaid. oh! "x" marks the spot she'll never sit. but i bought a dress! a toast... ...to the capital one venture card. fly any airline, any flight, anytime. double miles you can actually use. what a coincidence? what's in your wallet? [ all screaming ] watch the elbows ladies.

>> of course there's some partisanship in there. i'm at a democratic can convince. but the speech is an optimistic speech. >> julian can castro talking about the speech he will give tonight at can convention. he will deliver a keynote speech. and no, you are not seeing double. that's the mayor's identical twin brother, joaquinn castro pl and he will introduce his brother. they will appeal to two groups, critical to president obama's reelection. women and latinos. a new tracking poll shows mitt romney got four-point bump along latino voters after the republican convention featuring senator marco rubio and new mexico's michelle martinez. president obama is still holding a commanding lead. 64% to just 30% over governor romney when you look at latino voters. joining me now from charlotte,

network news anchor, jose, a pleasure to see you. >> thank you. >> with his identical twin brother, quite a sight to see them together on the floor. described as a rising star, why was he so appealing to president obama and democrats it put on the stage in this way. >> in very many ways, he is like obama was four or eight years ago. he is a member of a community that finds in him the representation of the american dream. and when you think about the fact that there are 50.5 million latinos in this country, maybe 12 million or more could vote the next 6 of november, here is someone who represent the hopes and dreams of many hundreds of thousands, millions of latinos, that in this country do nothing but work. contribute culturally. contribute economically to this nation. to to show someone like that,

this man with his version of the american dream, it is an important message that democrats are giving at this convention. >> it is interesting. we heard mitt romney within governor romney and others say their party is actually the party that is raising, if you will, and shining in the spotlight on young latino stars. pointing of course to marco rubio, susanna martinez. we mentioned this four-point bump among latino voters for romney after his convention. what do you think is behind that? >> well, it was actually more than just marco rubio and susana martinez. brian sandoval, his wife introduce romney and everyone was introduced by a latino. but is that enough? is that what latinos are looking for on the 6th of november in the plat forms of the rnc say the ideal focus should be the 1070s of the world. those aren't exactly things that bring latinos into the republican tent.

the republicans have a very tall order, to bring in 38% of latino vote, which is what romney says he needs to win the elections. it is not going to be easy, because of the 1070s of the world. and because of the some of the semantical discussions used by the republican party when they talk about immigration reform. the big problem that the democrats here have with the latino voter is not that the latinos support obama or don't, they do in overwhelming numberes. it is whether they will come out to vote on the 6 of november. >> how does the party ensure that? you have los angeles mayor, talking with tough words he wanted to say. so how do you inspire the latino voters, who as you point out, we can't say this enough, we are talking 64% to 30%. i said commanding. there needs to be a whole new word. since we like football

analogies, if that was a game, that would be a certified whipping bit other team there. what do you do to get those people out? >> this is the issue. it is fascinating, if you look at nbc wall street journal telemundo polls we have been doing on the latino community specifically, you will see in can contrast to the voting population, latinos are almost evenly divided on whether the country is going into the right direction. that's a huge statement in favor of president obama. but latinos feel their children won't have the same opportunity they had in this country. so it is an interesting dichotomy. the problem is, latinos have been so affected by the unemployment crisis, 10.3%. home foreclosure crisis that affected latinos. that is tapping done on the enthusiasm to come out to vote on the 6th of november. >> a pleasure. >> always a pleasure.

>> thank you, jose. the show will go on. it is just one of the things that we thought you should know. and we are just a few hours away from first lady michelle obama taking the stage at the dnc. i will talk with sir wyria's jo madison. he got the interview with her. >> ready for this convention, ready to win this election. i'm pretty fired up. questions? anyone have occasional constipation, diarrhea, gas, bloating? yeah. one phillips' colon health probiotic cap each day helps defend against these digestive issues with three strains of good bacteria. approved! [ phillips' lady ] live the regular life. phillips'.

[ phillips' lady ] live the regular life. you misare you sure?et toss. eeeee! yeah. i get all my friends' pics as soon as they take them. really? you just missed an awesome dance off between the dads. oh... wow! (laughing) you just missed the cake fight. seriously? everyone's taking pictures like they're paparazzi. are we missing that? we're not, check it out. aww, yeah, haha. excuse me. vo: get all your friends' photos automatically with share shot on the galaxy s3. hey! first dance!

are you kidding me??? hollen will speak tomorrow at the dnc. how account democrats win over independent and how will he answer the questions of, are we better now than four years ago? plus more on the convention lineup for tonight and how democrats are looking to lock in

women voters. and be sure to check out our news nation tumbler page. you will find behind the scenes pictures. look what someone sent us in the mail today. we decided that the strangest thing we have ever received. no, one of the strangest things. can be such a big thing in an old friend's life. we discovered that by blending enhanced botanical oils into our food, we can help brighten an old dog's mind so he's up to his old tricks. it's just one way purina one is making the world a better place... one pet at a time. discover vibrant maturity and more at purinaone.com.

we asked total strangers to watch it for us. thank you so much, i appreciate it, i'll be right back. they didn't take a dime. how much in fees does your bank take to watch your money ?

if your bank takes more money than a stranger, you need an ally. ally bank. no nonsense. just people sense. welcome back. we wanted to share a few live pictures from charlotte. less than three hours democrats call their convention to order. not a lot of activity but you can bet under a couple of hours that place will light up today. congressman and debbie schultz will bang down the gavel at 5:00 p.m. eastern time. they expect 56,000 supporters to fill the bank of america stadium for president obama's speech on thursday. saying quote, you will see far more, we are pretty sure, enthusiasm, coming out of the

convention. but the question remains, is it enough to propel the president to victory in two months? joining me from charlotte, senior political editor mark murray. mark, i stumbled through that. democrats say you can bet there will be enthusiasm at that stadium and the question is, though, how do you maintain it. how do you keep it going through november? >> well, top obama campaign officials are briefing nbc news. they were asked about this precise enthusiasm question. and they said, heck, no, we don't have an enthusiasm issue. we will hit things running from this convention. but tamron when you look at polling, particularly comparing to 2008, groups on the democratic side aren't as enthusiastic as four years ago. there is an opportunity to propel themselves going, heading into election day, which is just two months away. >> this is not a burden that rests solely on democrats. you pointed out and the team, republicans having the same issue as well for maybe even

different reasons, regarding their nominee. but the bottom line, give me numbers compared to 2008 so that people know that this is just not some myth swirling around through the media. >> right, tamron. you are right. all voting groups are down from 2008. 2008 is once in a lifetime election. when you look at the wall street journal poll, you see two key demographic groups, latinos and young voters, almost 20 points off for 2008. shouldn't be a surprise that convention line-up we will see tonight plays exactly, i'm talking about latinos, we will see san antonio mayor julian castro talk to young voters, actor kal penn, they want folks to come out and vote in november. >> looks like a lot of excitement already behind you. we will expect in with you later. besides the first lady, high profile women will take the stage tonight in charlotte. they include the first woman to reach the rank of three star general in the army.

lieu teenant general claudia kennedy. president of the national abortion league nancy keenan and lilly ledbetter. former communications director for rick santorum's campaign, hogan getly and chris cofinas. ann, i will start off with you, not because you are the woman here, but because i want to. michelle obama certainly effective in many ways, there is no doubt you will be an effective speaker to night. we know she plans to talk a lot about the president and coming from the single mother, how do you think that that will work with the audience and the larger part, the independent women who may be unsure about the future? >> it is interesting. you have seen democrats make a play for women and michelle obama is one piece of that. i think people are probably fairly familiar with the life story of barack obama at this point. but reminding them and suggesting perhaps subtly,

perhaps not so, we will have to watch tonight, that president's life story is different from that of his opponent, one piece of that. but as you mentioned, with the other speakers, those are other pieces of it. women who are strong professionals, women who care about choice and care about equal pay, those are some other pillars you will see tonight. so, look, i think the conservative women, that's a black that they would concede. professional women, independent, you see them coming at them from four different directions tonight. it'll be interesting to watch. >> lilly ledbetter for example, ann romney was on the "today" show and she was asked by a name in legislation that her husband supported in the past, that would help women, for example, even with payee quality. and she could not name anything. she just talked in general terms about the economy and women with their pocket books and obviously serious issues. but she couldn't name legislation. how dot republicans counter tonight, for example, when do

you have the powerful modern women and not in age modern but perhaps in background. we are talking about equal pay which has nothing do do with conservative or progressive. that to me seems to be fair. >> sure. first of all, let me say, i was in tampa obviously and 50,000 people that went there weren't all angry old white men. there were a ton of women there. we saw that from the stage and podium. we had gov nikki haley talking about their experiences. i think ann romney did a good job of explaining who her husband was from a tender side, who he was personally. i thought that was important to get out about governor romney. romney talked about strong women like his mother who ran for senate when it wasn't a proper thing, thought of, for a woman to do. those are thing we were able to get across in our convention and i'm sure michelle obama will do a wonderful job tonight courting

women in the same way. fact of matter is one of the things that ann romney couldn't mention is some legislation her husband passed. however there are ways that women have suffered under this president. with around 6 million women out of work. the unemployment rate of the poverty rate rather at 14%. the highestity's been in 17 years. and those are things that mitt romney want to fix. mitt romney is talking about and he will continue to do so on the campaign trail. but these conventions, you have the women putting their best foot forward. but most of the specifics with what they will do with regards to women -- >> chris, i will let you counter that. that picture that is paint said that women are worse off now than -- going back 17 years as a result of this administration. you counter that, chris. >> well, listen, i think the problem the republicans have in terms of appealing to women voters an we saw this in the republican convention, they put a hard push to try to convince

female voters they have an agenda issues and policies that appeal to them. they don't. we have lived through the policies. they failed. we have lived through the policies and we saw that created. so when you talk about education, issue very important to female voters, the president has a strong agenda on healthcare. it is in particular. when you talk about single mothers, that's an incredibly beneficial issue. when you talk about the economy in terms of retraining jobs, equal pay, and product i6 rights, i'm not sure whether republicans think they will get an advantage with female voters. if you look at polls, they have a real problem in terms of appealing to that. if you can't get over the gap with that they have with women voters, they lose this election. it is really that sim 78. >> hogan, the latest numbers show that obama has ten-point lead over romney among women voters. that is down by # from 15%. but he still has ten-point lead. we also know, even though you saw that speech that romney, governor romney gave and

convention itself as success, first gallup poll that just came out yesterday, shows he had the lowest rating since bob dole, after his speech. >> right. >> right. i mean, look, we know there is a gap. there's no denying that. >> why do you believe there is a gap? if you laid out that, in your words, women are worse off than they have been in some cases 17 years, if that is true, why is there a gap? why is president obama leading your nominee, your candidate by ten point right now? >> well, i mean it is message, right? you've got drive that message home. it takes a while to saturate that. barack obama came into office in a huge way. his wife is very popular. this is kind of an introduction to mitt romney, to his family, and to his policies. it is ridiculous it say this gap won't close. i think it will once you outline just how poorly women have done

in the business world under this president. he made it hard for him to succeed. everyone understands that thp yes, they'll talk about women's healthcare. but if they only focus on healthcare, abortion and contraception then they will have a problem. they are speaking on a broad range of issues including the economy. >> but the republican party platform focused on women's issues, specifically abortion p so you can't say this party is focusing on it. i have the platform -- >> no, i'm saying if they -- if they do that, that will be a problem. our party ranges everything from social issues to economic. >> there's no indication that is what will happen. let me bring you in on this conversation, why do you believe that right now, that mitt romney is trailing president obama with female voters? is it what hogan has said, an issue of just message? or when have you incident like todd aiken coming out and saying let legitimate rape and words

regarding abortion, what do you see it as? >> i think is a little bit of both. the president goes in with the natural advantage. not just because he won in 2008, but because democrats in general do better among women. especially single women. unmarried women. this is the trend historically. you add to what is perceived as pretty harsh statement by the republican party, hard line in the platform you mentioned, and really not much effort apart from the speakers that hogan mentioned. sure there were some women speakers at the convention but there have not been a lot of outreach of substance on policy level to women apart from talking about the economy. he's right. that is extremely important. but i think the democrats would counter they're doing that too and doing it in ways that target women specifically, not just saying we should all have a better economy and better for everyone including women. >> both of these convention speeches are not targeted to the people in the room, they are targeting that sliver of women

outside the hall. that the post important. >> here is the problem. the problem is, i love this argument republicans are appealing to women. where? what policies do you believe will make lives pet better? the same policy under the president's administration? not a single republican pointing to one policy, not one, where romney differes with republicans or george bush. not one. so how are we supposed to believe? how is a woman voter supposed to believe that republicans will create a better life for women? >> hogan, i will let you point to one. >> oh, look, look at this president. absolutely failed amongst women. >> that's not the question. the question chris said was not one republican could point to policy where the lives of women would be made better. that was the question. >> yeah, but i mean look, governor romney has a big history of hiring women. doing things in massachusetts for women. >> point to one policy that differs from what george bush and the republicans did for

eight years that is going to improve women's lives? going to have a different outcome. no one can do it. this is not a trick question. >> the policy isn't gender-based. the policy is for everyone. you guys are too focused for one gender. it is for everybody. >> hogan, thank you very much. ann, we can continue this -- i have a congressman waiting for me. very important person. chris van hollen. not that you're not important, guys. ann as well. thank you. we will have you back on to talk about this if you are available tomorrow. as mentioned, congressman chris van hollen from maryland, pushing back criticism that democrats are blaming bush for economic problems four years lateer. they are set to address it tomorrow night saying democrats are not stuck in the past but highlight wlag a romney presidency would like like. if chaired by republican, vice president nominee, paul ryan, congressman, thank you so much for your time. >> great to be with you tamron.

>> i'm not sure if you add chance it hear that discussion, but republican strategist, nice guy there, but put on the spot by chris to name anything that mitt romney policy that differs from the bush administration that would improve the lives of women since he seems to believe that the reason that president obama still has a strong hold of 10% lead with women voters is because mitt romney's message has not soaked in yet. what do you say? >> well, chris put him on the spot. he could not answer the question. and as republicans don't have an answer to that question. that's why you didn't hear it at the republican convention last week. they refuse to talk about what they would do because as soon as they did, people would see it was going back to the same old fail policies that got us into this mess in the first place. the president will talk about building our country from the middle out. making sure that everyone has an opportunity here. we passed the lilly ledbetter

legislation. it said for women who had been discriminated against in the workplace, on pay, that they would get tlir day in court. basic fairness idea. bush vetoed that. paul ryan voted against it. this is just one example of how republicans do not have a -- a set of policies that help women and could not mount to anything they could do differently that happened under george bush. >> i want it play a little bit of congressman paul ryan on the today show. he is still called out on his speech and being pushed to clarify statement that made, for example, simpson bowls committee, admitting he walked out on that. let me play what happened on the "today" show and get your response. >> you're one of seven members of that panel and you voted against sending those rec men dages to the senate, basically killing any further action on them. didn't you owe it to the people so say that as well. >> but if you read the next

paragraph, i said republicans offered alternatives. on simpson bowls, it is not whether that is a good plan or bad plan, it is that if you don't like that plan, then you owe the country an alternative. >> does congressman ryan owe the country more explanation on the gm statement and other things said during his remashes? >> well, listen, paul rye and speech at the republican convention was a hay day for fact checkers. they were up all night and into the next morning because there was so much misinformation in it. this point about simpson bowls very important and should not be glossed over. the president presented a plan unlike what paul ryan said at the convention. the president has a plan that followed the balanced framework of simpson bowl. the president proposed some tough cuts. but we also have to ask folks a the very high end of the income scale to pitch in more.

if you ask nothing of them and romney and ryan don't want to ask for one more penny for the deficit, what it means is simple math. you hit everyone else that much hat # harder. hits seniors on medicare. student and education. guts our infrastructure investments. that's why an independent group said their tax plan would raise taxes on middle income families in order to finance another windfall tax break for people like romney. so that's their plan. >> congressman, there appears to be some issue over the weekend with your party. from o'malley to others, not being on one accord. you don't have to answer things all the same, but when asked, is your life better off now than four years ago, you and i both know governor o'malley changed his answer later. he is speaking. you are going to speak. what is the answer it that question? >> well, there's no doubt americans are better off.

look, the economy was in total collapse. 800,000 americans were losing their jobs. every month. americans retirement savings collapsed by one-third by the time that president bush left office. today, 29 state months, people are recovering that retirement and more. a bailout for wall street was proposed but when it came time for american auto manufacturers and workers, he said, you're on your own. let detroit go bankrupt. also, ryan and romney proposed the plan to privatize social security. if we listen to them pb people would have been totally flat on their backs with no retirement security when we went through the last economic downturn. >> caught flat-footed this weekend and you had the statement, one played over and over, and republicans used that to push back. why is there not a more definitive statement on this pr

everyone representing the administration on sunday? >> what governor o'malley said is that we haven't recovered from the total collapse that we saw at the end of the last part of the bush administration. the president stopped the free-fall. and we are climbing out of it. the first thing was to make sure that we don't -- didn't go spiralling into the great depression. another one. you today stop the free-fall and turn the corner. what o'malley and others were saying and he clarified his remarks, was that we still have ground to make up. why would we go back to the same folks that created the mess to begin with. if you want to, build on the progress we made. you need to stick with the president's agenda. he has a balanced plan like simpson-bowles. he has a plan to invest in all of america. rather than providing another round of tax breaks to the very wealthy. >> congressman val holen. thank you and best of luck with your speech wp we appreciate your time. we'll be right back. ♪

one a day men's 50+ is a complete multi-vitamin designed for men's health concerns as we age. ♪ it has more of seven antioxidants to support cell health. that's one a day men's 50+ healthy advantage. [ male announcer ] you've reached the age where you don't back down from a challenge. this is the age of knowing how to make things happen. so, why let erectile dysfunction get in your way? talk to your doctor about viagra. 20 million men already have. ask your doctor if your heart is healthy enough for sex. do not take viagra if you take nitrates for chest pain; it may cause an unsafe drop in blood pressure. side effects include headache, flushing, upset stomach, and abnormal vision. to avoid long-term injury, seek immediate medical help for an erection lasting more than four hours. stop taking viagra and call your doctor right away if you experience a sudden decrease or loss

in vision or hearing. this is the age of taking action. viagra. talk to your doctor.

100% natural ingredients like roasted peanuts, creamy peanut butter, and a rich dark chocolate flavor. plus, 10 grams of protein. so it's energy straight from nature to you. nature valley protein bars.

all eyes will be on the first lady tonight as she tells why the president deserves four more years. the first lady gave a preview of the speech with sirius xm radio talk show host joe madison. he joins us from charlotte. thanks for your time. what is your impression of the first lady as she looks ahead to the speech? >> i was quite impressed with the conversation, you know within one of the first questions i asked her is that fur years ago she had to introduce herself and then candidate obama. how would she do it this time because almost everything has been said or written about them that there is to be said or written. and you've heard her response. she has a very unique position in that she sees the human side of the presidency. and i think that's what she really explained. and i tell you what else impressed me, was this concern she has for military families. that came across and then the

final thing we found out and we were kind of joking, was that she likes beer. and particularly dark beer. because i teased her about the fact that, you know, the white house is brewing beer now from the honey. so very, you know, that common touch really is what impressed me to, you know, to have a first lady talking about yb yeah, i like to drink beer with a pizza and barbecue. that's what i got out of it. >> did she discuss at all the importance of really winning over the female voters out there? >> you know, we didn't get into that part of the discussion. she really talked about, in that case, families and the economy. and how important the economy is to families. and then how she came about being concerned about military families. now joe biden of course has a

son that is serving in afghanistan. and she says she really learned about that concern because she didn't know much about it, but she learned when she was traveling four years ago, campaigning and saw how proud these families were. and how much they needed and that's how much she came to becoming committed. >> joe madison, thank you so much for joining us. congratulations with your interview with the first lady right before her big speech tonight. thank you. as we go to break, here is a live look from the dnc floor in charlotte. in a few hours, the convention will officially kick off. thanks for joining us. we'll be back.

i thought the show was over before the commercial break. it's really over now. one second to say good-bye. thank you for joining us. i'm tamron hall. i promise this is the official

end of show. at least for now. the cycle is up next. [ male announcer ] you may be an allergy muddler. try zyrtec®. it gives you powerful allergy relief. and zyrtec® is different than claritin® because zyrtec® starts working at hour 1 on the first day you take it. claritin® doesn't start working until hour 3. [ sneezes ] [ male announcer ] zyrtec®. love the air. join zyrtec® rewards. save up to $7 on zyrtec® products. gice longahd. w

cain ab adi nisuco arsu, cao yode bwict12 w be sit u'lesial atepar12 plno l.

begins with back pain and a choice. take advil, and maybe have to take up to four in a day. or take aleve, which can relieve pain all day with just two pills. good eye.